Community Service Community Service Project Project

Laura EasterLaura Easter

Southern Ocean SportsSouthern Ocean SportsDive ShopDive Shop

I have been on a few dives with SOS to I have been on a few dives with SOS to get my certification. Just recently I went on get my certification. Just recently I went on a dive to help clean up some springs a dive to help clean up some springs located in Florida called Gennie Springs.located in Florida called Gennie Springs.

SOS’s AssignmentSOS’s Assignment To clean up public springs so that not only the To clean up public springs so that not only the

people diving there, but also the animals living people diving there, but also the animals living there will have a better experience.there will have a better experience.

To provide a safe and clean environmentTo provide a safe and clean environment..

• This is my awesome dive instructor and the man who runs the Dive Shop!

Volunteering for SOSVolunteering for SOS

• Me with just some of the beer bottles that we found and rescued from the springs.

The gear that we The gear that we used to dive in the used to dive in the

springs. This is springs. This is very important to very important to keep protected, keep protected, like in this trunk, like in this trunk,

because it is very because it is very important and important and

very expensive.very expensive.

One of the crew, Andrew, holding up the bottle labels that we found.

I also found cigarette buts, bottle caps, and other odd pieces of trash.

This is me with the new sunglasses I found in the river that is connected to the springs. Sometimes not all trash is on purpose; many people loose things in the river. Gennie Springs is a public campground for swimming, tubing, fishing and more.

One of the team members was a cop. She was a lot of fun to work with because she let us know the kind of fines that can be issued for littering. The fines can range from 200 to 1,000.

It’s very hard to see, but that is the head of a copper head water moccasin. Aah! The dangers of the springs!

Putting the trash in the proper receptacles is very

important. It was very rewarding cleaning up the springs.

Wrapping upWrapping up:: I enjoyed working with the I enjoyed working with the

Southern Ocean Sports Southern Ocean Sports team. We had a good time team. We had a good time cleaning a little part of our cleaning a little part of our environment. It was a very environment. It was a very rewarding feeling to know rewarding feeling to know that I was making the other that I was making the other divers and visitors’ divers and visitors’ experience in Gennie experience in Gennie Springs cleaner and safer. Springs cleaner and safer. By being a certified diver it By being a certified diver it made cleaning the springs made cleaning the springs more fun. It is a great way more fun. It is a great way to do community service.to do community service.